Toilet bowl odorous air control

ABSTRACT

This invention pertains to all residential and commercial flush toilets with or without water tank storage systems. An external exhaust system, which is activated by user, maintains constant suction in the bowl. A strategically sized and placed exhaust port is the only modification to the toilet bowl necessary to realize the previously stated objectives. This invention uses engineering hydraulic properties of water and air to achieve the toilet flushing and the removal of odorous air as it is created by human waste in the bowl. There are no electrical or mechanical devices added to the present art of the bowl construction, except the attic electric fan.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Federal Government has mandated that all residential toilets use less water per flush. This mandate has brought on a surge of interest in new toilet bowl and water tank designs to meet the requirements of the mandate. However, most of the new designs have dealt with rapid multiple flush capabilities to prevent the buildup of heavy waste plugging the drain. Toilet bowl users often flush for load reduction and for the removal of odor emitters, which does not affect odors already present in the restroom. Flushing does not remove odorous air, only the emitters of the air. The addition of extra water in the bowl when flushing forces odorous air out between the voids under the seat and the voids between the user and the seat. This condition is technically dealt with in more detail in the detailed description of this invention.

While the objectives of dealing with odor emitters have been met, it has been demonstrated that true odorous air control can only be achieved by new commode designs not allowing the present art ceiling fans from unduly aiding the natural rise of odorous air from the toilet bowl. The rising odor is drawn passed the user's face and permeates the surrounding areas. Ceiling fans are required by building codes to remove room vapor-laden air produced by showers and other hot water sources, but not heavy cold odorous air from the toilet bowl. Ceiling fans are located to maximize the removal of vapor-laden air but do, however, eventually dilute and purge air from the restroom and surrounding areas.

Attempted natural draft venting of cold air upward between the wall studs has produced little success, even when heat is added to aid with the natural rise of the exhausted cool air. Water vapor in the wall cannot be allowed to condense and produce mold or other water damage to the wall. Hotels and many other multiple toilet users have started using external central exhaust systems thereby tying all rooms, including toilet areas, to the central system, where cooled air can also result in condensation. This invention is a closed system through the wall and attic as required. Any condensation formed in the vent pipe will safely drain back into the commode. However, extensive testing under variable conditions has never produced discharged water vapor. It should be noted that the herein design for dealing with toilet bowl odorous air concentrates solely on removing the odorous air from the bowl as rapidly as possible, without adversely affecting important components of the flush system.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides for environmentally friendly atmosphere for residential and commercial toilets and surrounding areas and reduces the amount of water required in the present art of multiple flushing for odor control. This invention prevents odorous air from permeating through the toilet area and adjoining rooms and hallways. The user only has to activate the present art ceiling exhaust fan switch to gain complete control of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The two figures in the drawing, ie. FIG. 1 is a left view of a typical toilet and FIG. 2 is a backside of a typical commode. A toilet bowl air exit vent must be cut in the bowl just below the back top of the toilet bowl rim as shown at 12 e FIG. 2.

Said hole in said bowl must be so located to receive a 3″ diameter PVC vent pipe in tank, tank-less and commercial-type toilet bowl systems and said vent must slope from the outside downward through the back of the commode at 12, FIG. 1. The slope angle of said vent entering commode should be no greater than 45 degrees with the vertical. The bottom end of said vent, which is anchored in the commode, should be cut at a 45-degree angle with the centerline of the pipe, thereby matching the 45-degree slope angle of the vent pipe. Said cut at the bottom of the vent pipe serves to produce an elliptical shape whose cross section provides approximately 20% more surface area than a circle. This is important to provide an increased surface area on which the exhausting air can pull on the flush water, therein aiding in filling said exhaust pipe with water and, in turn, provides an increased area for the hydraulic force of the cascading flush water to be trapped in the vent pipe at the end of the flush cycle. These angles are critical in that they control the head pressure and volume of the water entering the vent pipe, which in turn controls the amount of water that can flow into the pipe. The exhaust pipe is to be soundly anchored in the hole and extended through the nearside of the bathroom wall; a distance to meet installation needs as shown at 12, FIG. 1. The inlet air, which is to be exhausted, is pulled through the water exit port at 12, and under the commode seat at 12 b, which is covered by commode lid 12 c, and at other openings where the user's body has not maintained a seal, between the user's legs and at the back of the seat and the user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention differs in construction from prior art to the extent of the required modification to the toilet bowl in retrofitting present art bowls or the preferred mode of installing an exhaust port during the manufacturing of new commodes as shown at 12 e, FIG. 2. Present art and new patent claims have not satisfactorily dealt with retrofitting the existing billion plus bowls already in operation around the world or recognizing the need to deal with one-piece commodes, two-piece commodes, tank-less commodes or two-piece commodes connected with three instead of the normal two bolt systems.

An informed craftsman installing this herein described toilet odor removal system will rapidly discover that there is insufficient space at the back bottom of the water holding tank to install the previously described 3″ vent pipe. Said skilled individual will also quickly recognize that the required 45-degree angle cut at the end of said vent, coupled with the 45-degree rise in said vent pipe, does allow for sufficient entry of the pipe into the commode body where it is to be securely anchored.

A patent search at the North Carolina resource center and other computer searches have not revealed to this inventor any new practical or workable approaches to the odor problem as they apply to present art. The best mode of construction, as seen in FIG. 2, is to exhaust upward through the room wall 13, FIG. 1 using a 3″ PVC vent pipe or other suitable materials, connected to a ceiling exhaust fan as also shown in FIG. 2, 12 f.

Natural draft can be used at this location, but the best mode demands venting through the wall studs and header, whereas the pipe needs to be connected to an exhaust box fan FIG. 2, 12 f as the best mode of construction of this invention.

It is not to be concluded that the best mode of construction detailed herein is the only concept possible with this invention. Vent pipe size, location and material type, as well as exhaust fan size, location and connection to the vent pipe, are all considered variable parts of this invention, but can vary as long as the herein described technology is used to produce the required water hydraulics and aerodynamics for proper flushing of today's high-tech rapid flush toilets. A flush mechanism, which is a part of every toilet, must be activated to start the flow of flush water from the tank 12 d. Said water is immediately directed towards the front of the commode where it is critically divided to enter the commode bowl via flush ports under the commode rim and at least one opening near the bottom of the bowl, which serves to force the bowl waste into the actual disposable pipes.

The new designed toilets use less water, as mandated by the government, and the shape and location of these exit ports became critical. A major component of this design is not to interfere with the volume, speed or laminar flow of the discharged tank water, as described herein by this inventor. The herein design modifications speak to this effort.

Having said this, a major component of this new design is that some of the water passing the air vent pipe will flow into said pipe temporarily blocking airflow. This condition, as previously described, only lasts about three seconds, or until the flush cycle is completed. Due to the rapidly cascading discharged water from the tank, the water in the vent pipe will rapidly be cleared by the hydraulic pull of the heavier water at the end of the flush cycle. These herein described engineering principles are clearly obtained by controlling the vent pipe size, location, creation of an elliptical shape at the lower end of the attached vent pipe, and controlling the upward slope of the vent pipe and the smooth surface of recommended PVC pipe.

This said design also provides for the water that is abstracted from the main stream flush cycle to be returned by the hydraulic pulling force of the flowing tank water, ergo pulling the vent pipe water back into the toilet bowl water conduit.

In past art, manufacturers have so formed the commode entrance conduit so as to maintain laminar flow of the exhausted water between the exit of the tank to the water conduit distribution point in the commode. Cutting the previously described, critical hole in the commode to receive the vent pipe would, in itself, interfere with the said laminar flow process. The previously described inlet pipe, cut at a 45-degree angle and filled with water, forms a second surface which tends to restore the smooth surface as required at the 90-degree turn characterized in all tank flush mechanisms.

This patent prescribes to the engineering principle that the exhausted air velocity must be kept below the velocity where the air stream can pick up and carry water vapors. This is absolute if the air is to be exhausted to the attic as is the case with many other designs.

Another principle is understanding the importance of and differences between laminar and turbulent flow. Irregularities in pipe surfaces, pipe size and making 90-degree turns in pipe direction can reduce air velocity, thereby possibly creating turbulent flow, which in turn can cause a release of trapped water vapor into the pipe.

Extensive trials did not find water vapor or actual water in the here described odorous air removal design.

While it is important to minimize the water in the air vent, it is also important to have sufficient water to totally block the vent early during the approximately three seconds it takes for the water to exit the commode flush water holding tank. Some prior art designs incorporate expensive and elaborate exhaust variable speed fans and shutoff capabilities to keep water from entering the pipe. This is extremely difficult to accomplish by simply cutting off the exhaust fan. This design uses the fans in operation at all times which supports the engineering principles used to pull controlled volumes of water in laminar flow into the ventilation pipe. A properly sized exhaust fan mounted at the end of the exhaust conduit serves to aid in holding the water that is forced into the conduit. The best mode of operation is to have the ceiling exhaust fan match the CFM rating of the standard ceiling room exhaust fan (50 CFM.) Plugging the lower end of the exhaust vent with water in no way affects the performance of the fan or unduly modifies or negatively distorts the water flow pattern. When the last tank water flows past the lower end of the vent pipe, the hydraulic force of the passing water is much greater than the pull of the vent exhaust fan and the water is immediately drawn back into the water flow stream in a manner usable to support the herein designed flow function. Some new previous art designs require raising the water tank above the commode by inserting a so-called fan adapter.

It is the inventor's contention that the so-called fan adapter modifications limit pipe size and require a horizontal discharge pipe, all of which are expensive, unsuitable and unworkable in that they do not allow for the very necessary conditions previously described in this invention; and they are not applicable when applying to one-piece commodes, two-piece commodes or commercial-type flush mechanisms. The fan adapter previously covered clearly shows it will only work on two-piece and two-bolt type water tank to commode attachments, thereby eliminating using their adapter in converting the new and more popular three-bolt systems and one-piece toilet designs.

The commode air suction will be in operation at all times when the ceiling fan is activated. Fans are inherently inefficient in pulling air. Therefore, the air being exhausted by each independent fan does not create sufficient force to interfere with the separate and independent design functions of the two systems.

The user sitting on the toilet serves to block odorous air from rising and permeating the surrounding areas. Any type of movement by the user that decreases the seal the body makes with the toilet seat, and multiple flushes, could allow some odors to escape the bowl. The herein described invention, coupled with existing art of the ceiling fan, will eliminate the escaped odors in approximately three seconds. 

1. A major embodiment of this invention is that the herein identified modifications and additions to all known toilet styles will cost considerably less than the cost of purchasing a new modified commode, which is required by all systems identified by this designer in his patent search.
 2. Cutting the strategically designed entrance port for attaching the herein referenced vent pipe, the technical requirements which were previously described, is critical in managing odorous air removal from the commode and requires no gadgetry, mechanical or electrical devices.
 3. The suction air can be put in operation for maximum odorous air removal or discontinued, as required, by activating the present art ceiling exhaust fan switch.
 4. Exhausting the commode odorous air can be through the wall, to the outside or to the attic, in contrast to present art ceiling fans, which carry moisture-laden air that must be exhausted to the outside.
 5. The toilet bowl exhaust system can best be used in conjunction with the present art ceiling exhaust fan to aid in removing any odorous air forced out of the toilet during the flush cycle. 